Who Makes the Best Car Brands? - Consumer Reports Who makes the best cars? Lexus is tops, with Acura and Audi challenging Published: February 2014 A lot can go wrong when building cars—especially ones packed with luxury features and advanced technology, such as hybrid powertrains and cutting-edge infotainment systems. That’s why it’s quite impressive that Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, earned the highest score in our brand report cards for the second straight year. Its models are usually quiet, comfortable, and fuel efficient, and they’re among the most reliable cars made. Following close behind Lexus, which scored 79, are two rivals: Acura, the luxury division of Honda, and Audi, Volkswagen’s luxury brand. With models that are reliable, well-finished, and somewhat sporty, Acura earned a score of 75. Audi came in at 74, thanks to its cars’ well-crafted interiors, nice handling, and good gas mileage from its range of modern, efficient engines. Plus, Audi models have shown improved reliability.

Our brand report cards are intended to show which brands are making the best all-around vehicles, based on how their models perform in our comprehensive road tests and how they rate in reliability based on subscribers telling us their experiences with 1.1 million vehicles. We calculate each brand’s overall score using an equally weighted composite of our road-test and reliability scores for each of its models that we’ve tested and for which our subscribers have provided reliability data in our Annual Auto Survey. To be included, each brand needs at least three models for which we have test and reliability data. This year we don’t have report cards for Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mini, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Ram, Scion, Smart, and Tesla because we have too few currently tested models from those makes or we lack sufficient reliability data to make a valid comparison. Here are other notable findings: Japanese brands dominated, taking seven of the top eight spots. Following the three highest-scoring are Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, and Infiniti. The only Japanese brand that wasn’t in the upper half is Nissan, which ranks 18th out of the 23 makes in our analysis. At the other end of the spectrum, Jeep and Ford tied for the lowest score.

Jeep has a mix of spotty reliability and mediocre road-test results, and Ford continues to have reliability problems, especially with its MyFord Touch system. Audi’s luxurious, fun-to-drive, and fuel-efficient cars earned it the highest overall average road-test score of 83. Mercedes-Benz followed at 81, and Chrysler, Infin­iti, and Subaru tied at 80. Jeep has the lowest road-test score, dragged down by the Wrangler , which scored 20 points; the dated Compass and Patriot ; and the unimpressive new Cherokees . Lexus is the only brand to achieve an excellent overall reliability score, with the following six makes earning a very good rating. Only Cadillac, Dodge, and Ford had a below-average reliability score. In general, luxury brands outperformed their mainstream stablemates. In other words, Lexus outscored Toyota, Acura was higher than Honda, Audi outpaced Volks­wagen, and Infiniti fared far better than Nissan. The only exception was Cadillac, which scored the lowest of any of General Motors’ brands, based mainly on problems with the XTS’ CUE infotainment system. Log in to see the complete findings.

Editor's Note: The limits to Infiniti | The Economist Japanese luxury cars The limits to Infiniti Japan’s premium motor brands are still far behind their German rivals. The giant carmakers that own them are missing out on pots of potential profit Jun 7th 2014 Tweet A MONTH before launching Lexus in America in 1989, Toyota considered running a television advertisement showing German aristocrats at a wild party in a hilltop castle. The voice-over intoned that the Teutons had dominated upmarket, high-performance cars for nearly 60 years but they had only “30 days left to enjoy it”. The ad never made it to the TV screens, which is just as well: three German brands, Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen’s Audi, have become ever more dominant as emerging-markets growth has expanded global demand for premium cars. Lexus, Acura and Infiniti, the upmarket brands dreamed up in the 1980s by Japan’s big three carmakers, Toyota, Honda and Nissan, have been left trailing (see chart). Together the German trio now have 70% of the market for fast, expensive and luxurious cars, whereas the Japanese have just 10%.

And they are being overtaken by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a British (but Indian-owned) firm, which last year sold almost half a million cars, just behind Lexus. In this section Reprints The Japanese three are making renewed efforts to close the gap on the Germans. Last month Infiniti said it was redesigning its cars, starting with the new Q50 (pictured), to give them a more “passionate” Latin feel, distinguishing them from the “cold and clinical” German models. Lexus is about to launch a baby SUV, the NX, to rival JLR’s successful Range Rover Evoque and similar cars from Audi and BMW. Acura is pinning its hopes on the new RLX, a sleek, stretchy saloon. For Toyota, Honda and Nissan, their premium divisions are, or at least should be, far more than just nice little sidelines. Profits in the fiercely competitive mass market can be vanishingly small, whereas those on upmarket models can be thousands of dollars per vehicle. So any improvement in the carmakers’ sales of premium models would have a disproportionate effect on their overall results.

As Andy Palmer, a Nissan executive, puts it, premium models account for “12% of the volume and 50% of the profits” of the entire car industry. At first the Japanese carmakers’ premium marques were aimed mainly at the American market, and got off to a good start. Their mass-market brands had given anything Japanese-made a reputation for reliability. The new, premium models were technically advanced compared with Lincolns and Cadillacs, Detroit’s upmarket offerings, and cheaper than their German rivals. By 2000 Lexus was the best-selling luxury-car brand in America, a position it held for more than a decade. However, tarting up mainstream models with a bit of wood and leather may have impressed American motorists, who care more about value than styling, but it did not impress image-conscious European buyers. Acura, perhaps sensing the futility of the task, avoided Europe altogether. Since their premium brands had failed to go global, the Japanese carmakers were reluctant to give them the resources to keep up with the competition.

Lexus’s initial success in America spurred the Germans to fight back hard, spending heavily on designing vehicles whose technical brilliance opened motorists’ wallets, and on broadening their ranges to fill every possible niche. As the German brands successfully exploited rising demand for smaller premium cars, the Japanese were unable to keep up. Lexus and Infiniti make just a handful of models and Acura fewer still. BMW, Audi and Mercedes have dozens, and are launching new ones with bewildering rapidity. Mercedes is bringing out roughly one new model each quarter until 2020. Instead of drawing the lesson that they need to give higher priority to building their premium brands, the Japanese car giants have generally treated them as afterthoughts, their bosses devoting more attention to the mass-market models they are most comfortable making and selling. At one point Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s boss, considered scrapping Infiniti altogether. The lack of focus on premium marques has left the Japanese carmakers struggling in China, soon to be the biggest market for luxury cars.

The German upmarket brands have done a wonderful job of persuading China’s new rich that riding around in one of their models is the best way to say: “I have arrived.” BMW now makes 30% of its profits in China. Given the political tensions between the two countries, the Japanese marques start off with a handicap. Moreover, as Toyota’s boss, Akio Toyoda, recently conceded for his own Lexus models, Japanese premium cars have “no heritage, no narrative”—and it turns out that well-off Chinese motorists care about this as much as Europeans do. JLR’s brands have heaps of heritage, especially Range Rover and its association with British royalty. Last year JLR overtook Lexus as the fourth-largest prestige car brand in China. Unlike their European rivals, the three Japanese car giants have done little to tailor their premium model range to Chinese tastes. And, although Infiniti and Acura plan to do so, none currently assembles its cars in China. So they incur import tariffs of 25% that German firms, with their thriving joint ventures with Chinese makers, do not have to pay.

And as Lin Huaibin at IHS Automotive, a research firm, points out, Audi has 350 dealerships in mainland China, whereas Lexus has only 120. More passion, more freedom Head offices are belatedly getting into gear. Mr Toyoda is taking personal responsibility for Lexus, acknowledging that, like Infiniti, its cars need more “passion” in their styling. Nissan is giving Infiniti more independence, in the same way as VW gives Audi a free hand. (Not coincidentally, it provides almost half of VW’s profits.) Infiniti’s head office has been moved from Japan to Hong Kong and a former Audi man has been brought in as boss to polish up the brand. Infiniti has just opened design studios in London, San Diego and Beijing. These efforts may help the Japanese premium marques, in time. But they come as the market is getting more crowded. Kia and Hyundai of South Korea are bringing out attractively priced upmarket models. Alfa Romeo and Maserati of Italy are making a comeback. And mass-market car firms, from Ford to Peugeot, are trying to “premiumise” parts of their range to boost profits.

To compete properly all three Japanese brands need years of heavy investment and attention from above. Lexus has the critical mass of sales, and the promising new models, to keep it in the race. The future for Acura and Infiniti seems far less assured. In this business the Germans always seem to be moving a little bit faster.

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 Comment Infiniti announced some of the details and the pricing information for the 2008 Infiniti M sedan models.

According to the company, the 2008 Infiniti M comes with numerous updates inside and out for the 2008 model year. The car has also received significant upgrades on the powertrain and drive train system. Infiniti offers four model variants for the 2008 M. These include the M35, M35x all wheel drive, M45, and M45x all wheel drive. Both M35 models are equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 275 horsepower, while M45 models will roll out in the market featuring the monstrous 4.5-liter aluminum-alloy DOHC V8 engine with 325 horsepower. To complete the powertrain package, these engines are coupled with a 5-speed automatic transmission. On the inside, all 2008 Infiniti M models also receive a wide range of new features and other interior amenities. The car now comes with standard Rosewood trim, violet instrument panel, electroluminescent Fine Vision Meters, and revised Stone interior color.

Other standard interior features found on 2008 Infiniti M models include XM(R) Satellite Radio, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, and Infiniti Information Display with 7-inch LCD screen. Infiniti extends the interior features with the availability of numerous equipments, which include Infiniti Hard Drive Navigation System with touch-screen, XM NavTraffic9.3GB Music Box hard drive, iPod connectivity, RearView Monitor system, Advanced Technology Package, Premium Package, Sport Package, Technology Package, Mobile Entertainment System, Wood Interior Trim and Xenon/AFS Package. The Sport Package with unique exterior and interior styling along with Rear Active Steer (RAS) and 19-inch wheels and tires stands out in this extensive range of packages. The 2008 Infiniti M rolls out in dealer showrooms all over the U.S.

starting today carrying a base manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of: 2008 Infiniti M35 – $43,050 2008 Infiniti M35x all-wheel drive – $44,800 2008 Infinity M45 – $49,350 2008 Infiniti M45x all wheel drive – $51,850 Leave a Comment Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti recently extended its global presence after it opened its first authorized dealership in China. Called Shanghai Yongda Infiniti, the luxury brand’s Chinese arm opened its doors to Chinese luxury car buyers. This move demonstrates how Nissan and Infiniti are capitalizing on the growing Chinese auto market. Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. introduced the luxury brand “Infiniti” to China and started to sell three models, the G35 sedan, the FX35 and the FX45.

In China, the G35 sedan is priced at 448,000-478,000 Chinese Yuan (7.26-7.74 million yen at 16.2 yen per CNY) and the FX35/FX45 are 638,000-808,000 Chinese Yuan (10.34-13.09 million yen). “Infiniti has been well received in the marketplace thanks to its vibrant design, exhilarating performance, modern luxury experience and premium quality, as well as its Total Ownership Experience customer care philosophy,” said Yasuaki Hashimoto. “Infiniti’s worldwide customers are innovative, ambitious and successful people. We are also expecting many of the same kind of customers in China. Cumulative Infiniti global sales have so far topped 1,100,000 units.

Nissan's luxury Infiniti brand opens Hong Kong HQ Nissan's luxury Infiniti brand opens Hong Kong HQ KELVIN CHAN Share View photos Nissan Infiniti M37S is displayed at the opening ceremony for its new office in Hong Kong Tuesday, May 22, 2012. Nissan's upscale Infiniti brand has unveiled its new global headquarters in Hong Kong, as the Japanese automaker uses the southern Chinese financial center to grab a bigger piece of the world's top car market. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) More HONG KONG (AP) — Nissan's upscale Infiniti brand unveiled its new global headquarters in Hong Kong on Tuesday, as the Japanese automaker uses the southern Chinese financial center to grab a bigger piece of the world's top car market. Nissan Motor Co. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn dotted the eyes on traditional Chinese lion dancers at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new office, which will have 100 staff by the end of the first year. Infiniti is the first car maker to base itself in Hong Kong, a semiautonomous region of China better known for its banking prowess and stock market.

Ghosn said the company chose to move the high-end division to Hong Kong so staff could better observe the city's luxury goods market. Many foreign brands have flocked to the city in recent years in pursuit of wealthy Chinese shoppers. He reiterated Infiniti's target to raise market share in China to 10 percent of the luxury car market from 3 percent now. "During the next five years, Hong Kong and mainland China will together be our most important growth market," Ghosn said. He brushed off worries of a slowing Chinese economy, pointing out that the world's biggest car market was still expanding. Some 18.5 million vehicles were sold in China last year but sales growth has been slowing, from 35 percent in 2010 to just 2 percent in the latest quarter. Ghosn said 5-6 percent growth for the passenger car market in 2012 is "completely realistic." Infiniti joins other rival luxury marques from Mercedes-Benz to Cadillac who see China's newly rich buyers as a big source of future growth.

Despite the overall market slump, China's luxury sales are still buoyant, surging 21 percent in the first quarter over a year earlier, according to JD Power & Associates. Car makers are designing models that cater to Chinese tastes and shifting some production to the country as brisk economic growth mints scores of new millionaires. "Chinese tastes are becoming more and more important," Ghosn said. At the Beijing auto show in April, Infiniti said it would start manufacturing cars in China for the first time, with production of two vehicles starting in 2014. Executive Vice President Andy Palmer said the vehicles would be all-new but would not disclose any other details. Ghosn said the company decided to move production to China to reduce risks from big swings in currency rates. He also reaffirmed Infiniti's goal of raising sales to 500,000 vehicles by 2016, up from 145,000 in 2011 and expanding into 70 markets from 45. This year the brand will be launched in Australia, Chile, Mexico, South Africa and Hong Kong, executives said.

____ Follow Kelvin Chan at twitter.com/chan-man Reblog 5 Things You Need to Know About Infiniti's Agency Review | CMO Strategy - AdAge Adage Aleady a member? Sign in Get More From Ad Age Register to become a member today. You'll get the essential information you need to do your job better, including 7 free articles per month on Ad Age and Creativity Ability to comment on articles and creative work Access to 9 custom e-newsletters like Ad Age Daily, Ad Age Digital and CMO Strategy To get unlimited content and more benefits, check out our Membership page Register Now Want more Access, Content & Connections? We are glad you are enjoying Advertising Age. To get uninterrupted access and additional benefits, become a member today. Already a member? Log in or go back to the homepage . Hey, there. It looks like you're using an ad blocker. The news and features are funded in part by our advertisers. To support Ad Age and the industry we cover please either: Winner of Infiniti Account Will Have Chance to Rebuild a Brand 5 Things You Need to Know About Infiniti's Agency Review By Michael McCarthy . Published on April 23, 2014 .

Most Popular Ad executives working on automotive accounts like to speculate how they'd build an automotive brand from scratch. Well, this summer's opportunity to virtually re-launch Infiniti is about as close as they're going to get, said Allyson Witherspoon, Infiniti USA's director of marketing, communications and media. She joined the Nashville, Tenn.-based luxury car maker in November after stints at Arnold, Amsterdam, and other agencies. Allyson Witherspoon, Infiniti "If I were to put my former agency hat on, I would probably salivate.... You're always trying to look at what are brands that you can help build, or rebuild, or help evolve. I think [Infiniti] is that," said Ms. Wittherspoon last week at the New York International Auto Show. But ad agencies chasing the global Infiniti account, long held by Omnicom Group 's TBWA Worldwide , will have their work cut out for them. This November, Infiniti Motor Co. will celebrate its 25th anniversary in the U.S.

But many consumers still view Infiniti cars and SUV's more like the mass-market models sold by sibling company Nissan than luxury vehicles from industry leaders Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Even among Japanese luxury brands, Infiniti languishes behind Toyota's Lexus, which also debuted in 1989 and Honda 's Acura, which launched in 1986. Out of the three, Lexus has been the most successful, holding the nation's luxury sales crown from 2000 to 2010 before dropping behind Mercedes and BMW. With 31,221 vehicles sold during the first three months of 2014, Infiniti ranked a distant No. 7 in luxury sales, according to the Automotive News Data Center. During 2013, Infiniti sold 116,445 vehicles. That placed Infiniti No.

8 behind Mercedes-Benz (313,528), BMW (309,280), Lexus (273,847), General Motors ' Cadillac (182,543), Acura (165,436) and Volkswagen's fast-rising Audi (158,061). Infiniti's peak sales year was 2005 with 136,401 vehicles. Infiniti has been trying to distance itself from its "Nissan-Plus" reputation, establishing a new headquarters in Hong Kong separate from Nissan Motor and throwing its global ad account up for grabs. Here's Five Things You Need to Know about the Infiniti Review: Is the pitch still open? Maybe. Infiniti has hired search consultant Roth Observatory. But the client hasn't met with agencies yet or drawn up a contenders list, said Ms. Witherspoon. While Infiniti is still at the "very beginning" of the process, it expects to pick a single, global agency by the end of summer. When asked how many packages she's received from interested shops, Ms. Witherspoon replied: "A lot.

And I still continue to get them." Who are the key decision-makers? The review is being led by Vincent Gillet, Infiniti Motor Co.'s Hong Kong-based VP of marketing. Ms. Witherspoon is part of the "core" team running the review. She reports to Michael Bartsch, the former Porsche executive who was named VP of Infiniti Americas in August. "It's going to be a global pitch. So we're looking for a global solution," she said. "The U.S. is over 70% of total global sales -- so we're obviously looking for what is the right U.S. solution as well." What does the client want? Forget about Japanese competitors. Infiniti wants to win over customers who buy European luxury cars. "Our aspirations are to be a Tier-One luxury brand. That's to be with the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes," said Ms. Witherspoon. Another Jonathan Pryce? The former Chiat/Day created Infiniti's most famous ad campaign, a series of TV commercials starring actor Jonathan Pryce that aired in the early 1990's. So is Infiniti in the market for another celebrity spokesperson? Yes, said Ms. Witherspoon.

The car maker is looking for pop culture "influencers" to possibly endorse the brand. These influencers could be either entertainers or athletes. But finding another celebrity spokesperson is not technically part of the review. Said Ms. Witherspoon: "There's an element of pop culture. We want to be sure we introduce ourselves and establish ourselves in a very relevant way. Who are the right people to do that? That's what we're evaluating." Is TBWA invited? Yes. TBWA serves as Infiniti's sole agency around the world. It will defend the business, according to spokeswoman Marianne Stefanowicz. In this article: Nissan luxury brand Infiniti to make cars in China Nissan luxury brand Infiniti to make cars in China Pin it Share BEIJING (AP) -- Luxury automaker Infiniti said Friday it will manufacture cars in China for the first time starting in 2014, joining a rush by global automakers to expand production in the world's biggest auto market even as sales growth fades. Infiniti, owned by Nissan Motor Co., said two of its models will be produced in factories run by Nissan and its Chinese joint-venture partner. It will be Infiniti's first production outside Japan.

"For the brand to reach its aggressive sales target of 500,000 units by 2016, local production in the world's largest automobile market is not an option but a necessity to our success," said Andy Palmer, executive vice president of the Global Infiniti & Luxury Business Unit, in a statement. Growth in China's vehicle sales plunged from an eye-popping 35 percent in 2010 to just 2.5 percent last year as the economy slowed. That is forecast to rebound to about 5 percent this year — stronger than the United States or Europe but a challenge for automakers that added new assembly lines during the boom, leading to a glut of supplies. Automakers expect to continue benefiting from Chinese preferences for foreign car brands. They also believe the market will get much bigger in the years ahead as car ownership is still at low levels. Infiniti's announcement came as automakers gear up for next week's Beijing auto show, a platform for Chinese and global brands in the world's biggest auto market. Manufacturers plan a series of global premieres at the show and are bringing SUVs and luxury sedans designed for Chinese buyers.

Infiniti says it will unveil a M35hL sedan designed for Chinese businesspeople and government officials with an extended back seat and a gas-electric hybrid engine. Also this week, Ford Motor Co. announced it will build a $760 million auto assembly plant in the eastern city of Hangzhou, part of plans to double its Chinese production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles a year. Reblog stumbleupon Email Comment Over the last several years, to say the US and world economy was not doing well would have been an understatement. Despite some economists and analysts saying the recession was over in the summer of 2009, for the consumer it appeared as though that was just fanciful thinking. The mortgage crisis, elevated gas prices and job cuts all created a bleak environment and it showed. One area noticeably hit by the poor economic forecast was the automotive industry. Many brands witnessed stagnant sales figures. Luxury car brands especially suffered lower sales figures as people saved money and bought more cautiously. As there is a direct link between the luxury car industry and the economy, the recent improvement in the world economy had a visible effect on the types and numbers of cars being sold in the US.

Within the last two years, luxury car sales figures have been gaining much ground thanks to an improving economy. Last year’s sales records showed that the luxury car market was well on its way to recovery and even expanding in certain sectors. This has seen notable luxury brands develop not only new generations of existing cars but introduce new lines of sedans and increasingly popular crossovers. The following looks at the top 15 luxury brands in the United States. Figures are based on 2014 sales stats and the percentage of the market sales is indicated for each manufacturer. As you’ll see, the luxury car market in the United States is dominated as much by horsepower and performance as it is by leather interiors and ergonomics. All of the traditional brands are here and the various car lines and series you would expect to see are all represented. What is surprising is that the luxury market is as much the domain of the crossover and small SUV as it is the sedan or coupe. Clearly demonstrating the demand for crossovers among the population, luxury brands have made a point of offering many high-end options for the owners who need room for the family but don’t want a minivan. 15.

Bentley – 0.2% If this was a list of the most luxurious cars, then Bentley would put the others to shame. Since this is a list of sales in the US, Bentley finds itself at the other end of the spectrum. Bentley sales have been relatively low over the past several years. Unsurprisingly, this British carmaker (now owned by Volkswagen) felt the pinch of the financial crisis in 2009 when car sales plummeted to around 1,300. Since then, sales have gradually improved up to 2014 when the company sold 3,003 cars, their best year in the US since 2007. Considering the carmaker only produced just over 10,000 cars in 2014, it shows how important the US market is. Company leadership hopes to double the company’s sales over the next few years and plan to release an SUV to tap into a different part of the luxury car market. 14.

Maserati – 0.7% In 2014, Italian carmaker Maserati sold 12,943 cars in the US, a jump of 171% over the previous year. In part this was thanks to the sales of the new Maserati Ghibli which is basically a smaller and cheaper version of the company’s more famous Quattroporte. Traditionally, to afford a Maserati in the United States you needed well over $100,000. Thanks to the Ghibli, a mere $70,000 is now enough to get a 345hp, 3.0L twin-turbocharged Maserati into your garage. With the new introduction, as well as a planned SUV-crossover and AWD options for all its vehicles, expect Maserati to creep up the list of luxury carmakers in the United States over the coming years. 13. Jaguar – 0.8% Jaguar is synonymous with luxury. While the carmaker has changed hands numerous times over the years, the brand has continued to be known for producing elegant, powerful and luxuries cars.

In the US in 2014, Jaguar sold a total of 15,773 vehicles, down 7% from 2013. The loss in sales is being felt across nearly the entire range of jaguar cars. The XF, XJ and XK lines all either suffered a dip in 2014 or are continuing a long line of yearly drops. The one bright spot for the company is in the F-type, a two-seater, 3.0L or 5.0L supercharged sports car which is said to be the modern incarnation of the famous E-type. Last year, 4,300 of these cars were sold in the US. Jaguar will be hoping the F-type can continue these strong sales to compensate for the drop off in other car types. 12. Tesla – 1.4% (estimated) In the last 15 years, over 3.5 million hybrid vehicles were sold in the United States. With cars such as the Toyota Prius leading the way in sales, it is obvious that a sustainable market exists for automotive manufacturers who specialize in unconventionally fuelled cars. Enter US automaker Tesla Motors.

Tesla has become famous for being a maker of electric cars which don’t look like electric cars. Their most famous model is the Tesla Roadster but in the luxury market, the Tesla Model S has turned more than a few heads and opened just as many wallets. In 2014 estimates place the company’s total sales at 26,000 of which 16,500 were made up by the five-door luxury Model S. With anywhere from 235 to 691hp electric motors, available AWD and a fuel economy rating equivalent to more than 90 mpg, it’s no wonder this car is attracting a noticeable piece of the luxury market. 11. Porsche – 2.4% Most people, when they think of Porsche, immediately imagine the famous curves and lines of the 911 sports car. While the 911 isn’t exactly a luxury vehicle, Porsche does manufacture a number of other vehicles which better fit the luxury car category. In 2014, Porsche sold 47,000 vehicles in the Unites States. Of this figure, roughly two-thirds were luxury vehicles.

The clear #1 favorite among Porsche enthusiasts remained the Cayenne mid-sized crossover of which 16,200 were sold. The Cayenne provides a range of engines and power for every consumer who needs more than 911 size but also wants more excitement than you find in a minivan. Engines providing everything from 296hp to 493hp, including a hybrid, cover all the bases. Porsche, however, don’t rely solely on the Cayenne for luxury sales and continued to sell 5700 Panameras and 7200 of its newer compact crossovers, the Macan. 10. Land Rover – 2.7% Land Rover breaks into the top 10 of luxury brand sales in the US thanks to selling 51,465 vehicles last year. This manufacturer may have started out building vehicles which were meant to be real off road performers in 1948, but over time function seems to have taken a back seat to form – at least as far as most consumers are concerned.

Thankfully, today the company provides a line of SUVs which enable soccer moms all over the country to navigate those treacherous turtle-bumps and allow celebrities to grab a coffee in style. The best-selling Land Rover in America in 2014 was the Range Rover Sport. With engine options providing anything from 258 to 542hp and modern designs mixed with traditional Land Rover lines it’s no wonder people are willing to pay upwards of $96,000. 9. Volvo – 2.9% For years Volvos seemed to all look exactly the same. They were boxy with relatively simple interiors and it seemed like they all came in blue or white. Even the sporty versions still resembled bricks on wheels. Then, it all began to change in the late 1990s and Volvos started becaming more modern looking. Sure, they kept distinctive Volvo features but the lines were smoothed and the image softened so much that the Swedish car manufacturer took a real bite out of the luxury car market in the US. Last year, Volvo’s total US cars sales were placed at 56,366.

The driving force (pun intended) behind Volvo’s 2014 sales were the four-door S60 sedan (20,000 sold) and the XC60 crossover (19,000 sold). Both of these executive/entry-level luxury vehicles have come a long way from the 200 series, and all in the price range of $45-50,000. 8. Lincoln – 4.9% Coming in at #8 is American luxury car company Lincoln. The Ford luxury brand was dominant in the 1990s but suffered over the last 20 years as foreign luxury brands began taking a bigger part of the market. Lincoln survived that dark period and reported US car sales in 2014 to be 94,747. Over one-third (34,000) of the Lincolns sold in the US last year were from the MKZ line.

Available since 2006, the MKZ comes in both FWD and AWD layouts and is powered by three engine options – a 2.0L four-cylinder, 3.7L six-cylinder and a 2.0L four-cylinder hybrid. For those who want something a little bigger, but not as big as the Navigator, look no further than the Matthew McConaughey special – the Lincoln MKC. Thanks to the actor’s much parodied ads, 13,000 of these luxury crossovers were sold in the US last year. Alright, Alright. 7. Infiniti – 6.1% Last year, car maker Infiniti sold over 117,000 vehicles in the United States. Despite what you may think, no, they were not all G35 coupes purchased by wanna-be race-car drivers. While the stereotype and jokes concerning the G35 coupe owner are all over the internet, they belong in another discussion – so let’s move on to the luxury sales of Infiniti.

As Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti provides a range of vehicles which often resemble their Nissan counterparts but have additions like softer suspension, better audio equipment, navigation systems and leather interiors. By far, Infiniti’s best-selling luxury vehicles in the US in 2014 were the Q50 sedan and the QX60 crossover, selling 36,900 and 31,200 units respectively. The RWD/AWD Q50 has replaced the G sedan in Infiniti’s lineup and saw sales increase a massive 107% in 2014. 6. Acura – 8.7% Japanese carmaker Acura, the luxury brand of Honda, saw its sales numbers stay relatively unchanged in the US from 2013 to 2014. Of the company’s nearly 168,000 total sales, two-thirds came from just two crossover-SUV models. The smaller RDX crossover, built since 2006, managed an impressive 44,800 sales.

The mid-sized Acura MDX, built since 2000, saw sales jump 23% in 2014 with 65,600 sold. Both are powered by a 3.5L V6. The MDX’s sales probably gained a boost thanks to its use in Marvel’s The Avengers movie. In 2014, the line was also used in a series of retro-style and comedic commercials written by Jerry Seinfeld . 5. Cadillac – 8.8% Having gone through a major overhaul of designs and a campaign to appeal to a younger consumer, Cadillac finds itself as the top American luxury car manufacturer. That said, the second-oldest American car manufacturer is still well off the pace of the top luxury companies, posting a sales drop of 6.5% in 2014 versus gains by everyone else above them in this list. Just edging out Japanese rival Acura for fifth spot, Cadillac’s main contribution to the luxury market is often believed to be the Escalade SUV.

In 2014 around 30,500 Escalades were sold in the US, roughly similar to the company’s sales performance figures for the CTS and ATS. The big seller from Cadillac, and showing the strong market trend towards crossover vehicles, was the SRX of which more than 53,500 were sold last year. Nonetheless, Cadillac will need the SRX to continue to perform strongly or the company may suffer yet another slip in sales figures come next year. 4. Audi – 9.4% German company Audi has been around since the 1930s and is known today as one of the big three German automakers. In the 1980s, Audi popularized ‘quattro’ a permanent full-time four-wheel drive system made legendary in its World Rally Championship car. In the 1990s, the company shifted focus to the more upscale market, traditionally the domain of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Today, Audi is known as a performance and luxury brand which holds nearly 10% of the American luxury car market.

The foundation of this success can be found in the sales of the Q5 crossover (42,420) and A4 ‘executive’ car (38,679). That said, almost every line of cars from this company appeals to American buyers with the A3, A5, A6 and Q7 all selling between 16,000 and 24,000 each in 2014. 3. Lexus – 16.1% Stopping ze Germans from sweeping the podium in the luxury car market in the US is Toyota’s luxury brand. Lexus has seen American sales rise nearly 14% in 2014. In the overall American market, the Japanese carmaker doesn’t even break the top 10 with its 311,400 cars sold. In terms of luxury vehicles, however, it’s a different story. Leading the way with 107,490 sales, over a third of all of its cars sold, is the Lexus RX mid-sized crossover. Like most of the manufacturers already mentioned, the RX demonstrates the growing popularity of the crossover market.

That said, Lexus also boasts good sales of its large and small luxury sedans. The ES and IS series of luxury sedans have proven very popular in America, selling a combined 123,866 cars. The real question for Lexus remains whether their RX, the best-selling luxury utility vehicle in the US, can maintain its crown for the 2015 year. 2. Mercedes-Benz – 17.1% Runner-up in American luxury sales is German giant Mercedes-Benz. Very little needs to be said about this company as almost anyone who knows what a car is knows that Mercedes-Benz is all about luxury and performance. Fuelling the company’s push in the US luxury market is the very popular C-class sedan, a car which has entered into a new generation for this year. In total, 75,065 C-class cars were sold in 2014. One of the more popular versions of the C-class sold was the C300 featuring a 248hp V6 engine.

The lineup also includes the top-performing C63 AMG series which, depending on trim level, produces anywhere from 450 to 510hp from a twin-turbo V8 engine. Of course, the C-class isn’t the only high selling car in Mercedes lineup. The company also benefitted from sales of the E-class (66,400), M-Class (46,726), GLK (35,000) and S-class (25,200). 1. BMW – 17.6% At the top of the luxury market in the United States is BMW. Like Mercedes-Benz, this brand is well known around the world for combining luxury and performance in all of their vehicles. Since 1975, this German company has produced the 3-series car, a model which has maintained a high level of popularity since its inception. Recently, convertibles and coupes which were classified within the 3-Series were separated to form the new 4-Series line.

That said, in 2014, the 3-Series/4-Series came first in luxury car sales every single month for a grand total of 142,232 cars sold – an increase of 19% over 2013 records. BMW’s mid-sized 5-Series luxury car was also well represented with 52,700 sold over the same period. In the small SUV-crossover market, BMW followed the trend of other makers by selling 80,800 vehicles belonging to the X3 and X5 class. 71 Shares

Question: Infiniti is the luxury brand of which car maker?
Answer: NISSAN